Crystal Clear
by AllyGarcia
Summary: Edward can read Bella's mind. He's intrigued by the new girl/deliciously mouthwatering eatable coming to Forks. Too bad Bella wants nothing to do with HIM. Too bad she wishes he were dead. Too bad for her he is dead, and a vampire.HIATUS
1. To Keep or Not To Keep

**Crystal Clear**

Chapter 1

**To Keep or Not to Keep**

You couldn't call Alice mean, thought Bella sourly, not by a long shot. She scowled at the bed and crossed her arms forebodingly. You couldn't call Alice frugal or miserly or spendthrifty all tantamount to the same definition as mean, unless you wanted to label youself a liar/Cullen hater which Bella was certainly not. _The Cullen hater part, a bit, maybe._ But not pertaining to Alice.

You also couldn't call Alice Cullen mean, when you were in fact, a friend of her's. Though, reflected Bella, Alice was being mean (in a totally different way) by not being mean. This made total sense to Bella's wounded sense of boundaries and compared against her list of what recently made friends just must not do, won by a huge gap. She knew Alice was rich, but this just was...

"Bella!" squealed Alice, coming into view and pausing with a hand on the door-knob. "There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you! Charlie let me in earlier when I told him I'd come to see you and-"

"What," cut in Bella menacingly, waving a hand at the bed and failing miserably to look intimidating, "is the meaning of this?" She pointed a finger in accusation at the bed where piles of dresses lay, indifferent to her glares and muttered threats of extermination, mocking her with their continued presence and acting ignorant of her evident annoyance. Her ire rose at seeing them still there and she cast them another fulminating glare. _I'm onto you, clothes._

_Burn in hell, you pieces of leg-baring molestation-inviting ridiculously tiny yet even more ridiculously expensive trash..._

Alice looked at the clothes, then back at Bella, eyes wide in anxiety. "Do you...do you not like them?" she asked uncertainly, biting her lip and managing to look even more cute and pixie-like than usual. She drooped immediatley, hanging her head, lips threatening to pout. Bella sighed and pinched her nose, reminding herself that one did not ought to give in to pouts, sweet looks, uncertain dark eyes turned on you like a week old puppy looking for reassurance or like a deer's wide orbs caught in the headlights-

Damn.

_NO, Alice. No, I do not like them. In fact, the sooner you get them out of my sight, the faster I will feel better. Return them if you must, just please get them out of my sight before I start contemplating the pros of an 'accidental' fire._

Bella sighed.

"No Alice," she said, pinching her nose harder, "it's not that I don't like them."

"Oh!" Alice perked up, sure now that Bella in no way hated the clothes. "Then..."

"Just, how long have you known me?" Bella asked skeptically, planting her hands on her hips.

Alice cocked her head. "Two weeks?" she said doubtfully.

Bella shook her head and exhaled. "And you think that's enough time for you to start buying me stuff?" she asked carefully, waving a hand at the offending garments.

Alice looked affronted. "Bella! I buy stuff for all my friends! I knew we'd be good friends from the first day we met!" Her eyes gleamed.

Her friend threw her an unreadable glance. "And how expensive is the stuff you buy your friends?"

The Cullens never blushed but Alice seemed to come close to it. "Um..not much?" she squeaked out, a tiny apologetic tilt at the corner of her mouth giving absolutely no credence to her assurance. She moved over to the bed and picked up a deep green silk sheath dress, holdng it up critically. "It's just, when I saw these things, I just knew you'd do them absolute justice!" She continued to prattle on about the merits of green and the colour it would bring out in Bella's face and so on and so forth. Bella, who in two weeks had quite gotten the measure of her friend, (never take her near a sale, or a mall, or near clothes for that fact) tuned her out and simply watched Alice's animated face, a fond smile breaking through her normally reserved expression.

She knew Alice was impulsive. Just a few days before she'd nearly gotten herself into an unimaginable amout of trouble by remarking on the beauty of a pendant she saw hanging in a store window. To say she was surprised and dismayed to find a tiny box, ribboned and gift-wrapped awaiting her at home would be a total understatement. She'd made Alice return it first thing, how much ever she had badly wanted to keep it . For the sake of her sanity, she had also never asked Alice how much it'd cost.

Though this was a first, and she had no idea how Alice even knew her measurements, Bella resigned herself to probably having to accept them. Alice had been devastated when the pendant had had to be returned and Bella wasn't sure she could face that situation again. She'd just have to make up by returning the favour to Alice some way or another. Calling the tiny pixish Cullen a force of nature and a whirlwind was stating the truth. She could be quite stubborn when needed.

Exagerated throat clearing caught her attention. Turning to the door, Bella saw a quite unwanted sight and her mouth tightened. Here was the bit of Cullen hating she had mentioned.

_Enter the dragon._

Edward Cullen leaned causually against the door frame, eyeing the room with interest. Thrusting his hands in the pockets of dark jeans moulded to powerful thighs, he whistled. "A veritable windfall, eh, Swan?" he said lazily, grinning at Bella. His spiked auburn hair stood swept back from his forehead today, allowing her to see the brightness of his amber eyes. He was out for mischief sure as Forks was of rain.

Bella's brown eyes widened then narrowed, hot fire burning its way along her cheekbones. If he was insinuating what she thought he was...

Edward winced slightly, staring at her in surprised amusement. Looking at his sister, who'd turned around to see what was happening, he cocked an eyebrow. "Getting rid of your cast-offs, Al?" he asked mildly.

Alice flounced over and hit him in the chest, pouting. Bella would have sworn it was a playful hit wihout any seemingly hurtful intent behind it but Edward seemed taken off balance for a second. Putting a hand on the door frame to steady himself, he frowned down at Alice. An unspoken exchange passed between brother and sister.

"Don't be silly Edide!" Alice said gaily. Edwar's face darkened at the nickname but he said nothing. "When I saw these, I just knew they were meant for Bella! So I got them. Don't you think they'd look good on her too?"

It was like dropping bait in front of a hungry starving animal.

Edward turned slowly, amber eyes finding and focusing in on their target. As Bella's horrified gaze met his, a smirk twisted his lips and his eyes dropped from her's.

Lower.

If she could have burst into flames from embarassment and righteous fury, Bella would have tuned into a lighthouse beacon for ships off a coast. She wondered what Alice would do if Bella commited serious assault on a family member. She wondered how loud he'd scream if she kicked him where it hurt.

"Yes," Edward murmured, eyes lifting from what had been a blatent and obviously pointed apprisal of her assets. He took the green dress from Alice's unresisting hands and held it up, turning to regard Bella again critically. "It wiould bring out the colour in her face..."

Bella's jaw dropped. Oh no he didn't! Had he been evesdropping as well? That god-damned freaking a-hole insinuating stuff like he did, and dropping in uninvited wherever he wasn't wanted! Which brought her to...

"What are you doing here?" she asked him bluntly, surpressing the urge to clobber him over the head with something, preferably a large blunt instrument of godlike proportions. _Breathe Bella, breathe. Don't give up now. You were doing so good._

If anything, Edward's smile only grew wider.

"Mother sent me," he said, speaking to Alice now. "She wanted you to come home early. We have...visitors." His eyes shuttered as he said the last word and Bella wondered exactly who they were. The Cullens were a largly mysterious family. She'd learnt that when she'd moved to Forks some few months ago. All she'd heard anywhere were tales and rumours about the richest family in town and musings and speculations about their looks and obvious wealth. Some said they were famous movie stars. Others that they were a Russian family immigrated to avid the secret Police. They'd after all only moved to Forks a few years before Bella herself. Rumours were ofcourse, born of fact. The Cullen chldren were beautiful. No other word did them justice. All four of them were adopted, Alice and Edward living with their adoptive parents, Esme and Carlisle Cullen. The other two had moved out and were living elsewhere. Bella had been a bit miffed that every girl her age's topic of conversation seemed to revolve solely around what Edward Cullen had done that day. What he'd worn that day, what he'd said and god forbid, what he'd ate. He was plainly, the baddest boy in town with girls on his arm changing every other day. What a total playboy.

She had resolved to hate him befor she ever met him. Meeting him had only compounded her initial vague dislike. He seemed to have an innate talent for infuriating her and driving her up a wall. Worse, he seemed to actually enjoy her reactions. Unfortunately for Bella, Alice had singled her out as potential best friend material, leaving her the envy and focus of jealous hatred of every other teenage girl at Forks high school. This also meant Bella had to suffer Edward's compay a lot more. Oh, Joy.

She was brought up short as Alice shot an intense look at Edward. Edward nodded. Alice's eyes brightened. She whirled around and hurried to Bella. "I'll call you later," she said, hugging Bella lightly and pressing a kiss to her cheek. Bella nodded, slightly dazed and watched as Alice sped out the door, Edward following at a more sedate pace. Well, there went her plan of convincing Alice to at least take back some of the clothes, if not all.

Edward checked, a curious look passing across his face. He turned and scanned the room.

Bella was immediately wary. "What is is?" she shot out, arms crossing across her chest defensively. _Try that again and I'll hand you some soprano-wanted classifieds after I'm done with you._

His eyes crinkled at the corner. He motioned at a low stool standing next to her bed, a glass of water and some pills resting on to it. "That looks suitably heavy and blunt, Bella. Don't hurt yourself lifting it."

The next moment he was gone, leaving Bella to pick up her jaw of the floor again, wondering how exactly it was that he seemed so astute sometimes as to pick up on the exact words she used in her thoughts. Skilled at reading, he was. Maybe he's a mindreader, she thought and immediatly smacked herself mentally. Dummy! Your seventeen, not seven.

Edward's low laugh carried all the way up to her second story bedroom, before the roar of a Maserati cut it off.

A/N: Like? Hate? Tell me if I should continue. I have nerves now. R&R!


	2. The Day Everything Goes Wrong

_** Crystal Clear**_

** Chapter 2**

** The Day Everything Goes Wrong- Friday**

** Disclaimer**: Since you all seem to have a misconceived notion that I own Twilight, for the record, and on the record, I DON'T. :) Stephanie Meyer, you are one lucky woman.

* * *

><p><em><strong> Morning, Swan Residence, 7:50 am<strong>_

Friday dawned bright and early and Bella was pretty much miserable.

The rain was pounding down with a vengeance outside her lilly-flowered curtains and the bed was so snug and so _warm_ and..

..the alarm was going off to tell her it was time to get up. As if she didn't know that. Just a few more minutes of sweet oblivion anyway...

When she did open her eyes, her alarm was blinking accusingly at her, showing a time far too near school.

Bella cursed unintelligibly and stumbled out of bed. Of course she would have to trip on her way to the bathroom and hit her head on the shower-curtain's railing as well, Bella thought blackly. The great almightly wouldn't be satisfied without a dose of Bella misfortune to brighten his viewing time. Making it out of the pretty little blue and white room in a record twelve minutes, she tugged on the first things she saw in her wardrobe which just happened to be a rose-pink sweater and her favourtie blue jeans. Stupid sweater still had a tag on it. Damn Alice and her generosity, Bella did not want to know how much she owed her friend or the mental wieght of that alone would probably kill her.

_This is where I need to get a job, if atleast to pay her back someday, rather than my tution costs. Charlie would have a fit if he knew._

Charlie had already left but there was marmalade and slightly blackened toast awaiting her on the kitchen counter. Bella grabbed her breakfast while stuffing books into her bag with the other hand. Hopping toward the door, she finally finished pulling on her boots and raincoat and rushed outside only to find out she'd forgotten the keys to her truck. Cursing again, she fetched them and flung herself into the ancient red Chevy, taking a moment to catch her breath.

She was about to pull out when she saw Alice waving to her standing next to a brilliant yellow Porsche, wearing a cute water-proof parka. Muttering a prayer to heaven, -amazing how Alice almost always knew when she was in trouble-, Bella grabbed her bag and ran to meet her friend.

"Hey Bells-"

"Get in the car and drive."

Alice giggled slightly as Bella jumped in, walking over to her side and slipping in gracefully. "Oh it's alright. I have a feeling Mr. Willis is going to be a bit preoccupied today."

Bella raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "And if he isn't we're doomed. So let's just try to be on the safe side." She regretted her words almost as fast as she uttered them, because Alice was a cerified speed-maniac and would certainly take her words as encouragement to continue her borderline suicidal tendencies.

She wasn't wrong when Alice shot her a devilish looking, chirping out an an aye-aye captain before peeling out the driveway and pressing down hard on the gas. Bella gulped and prayed to be spared a violent gore filled death and began apologising for being deregatory toward God earlier that morning. If she died, she wanted to be welcomed into heaven with open arms.

The only other thing she noticed on the drive other than that her face was turning quite green in the rear-view mirror was that even though it was still raining, Alice's hands were by far colder than the freezing water.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Homeroom, 8:30 am, First Year Forks High School<strong>_

They reached homeroom with moments to spare. The bell had already rung, but no sooner did they flop into their seats than Mr. Willis came charging in, wet, dripping and completely distracted.

"Class," he barked, squinting behind fogged glasses, "you Keith, take the attendace!" And he turned, nearly slipped in a puddle and just as hastily made his way out of the room.

Bella froze as she settled herself in her chair, turned to Alice and pinned her with a stare. "Okay, that, is too weird to pass off as a fluke. How did you know he would be like that, Alice?"

Alice smiled, shrugging, though she looked tired and occupied as well, "The principal called a meeting to discuss the grizzly sightings."

Bella bit her lip. That was right. Recently, ther had been quite a few incidents of people getting mauled and killed by something, most probably a wild bear. The school was probably considering cancelling the trekking trip of her class. Bella was glad. Sporty stuff had never been her thing. Ever.

"And you knew this because...?"

Alice sighed, propping her head in her hand. "I too, have my sources Bella," she mumbled, rolling her eyes. Bella frowned, Alice was drooping and it wasn't her guilt-trip inducing droop either. In fact, this looked real.

Bella took a closer look at her friend. "Are you okay Alice? You look quite tired." She reached over and touched her friend's forehead, but as always, and maybe because of the rain, it was still deathly cold.

Alice was caught of guard. "What? No! I've just not been... sleeping well lately." She was being evasive. A sign that something was up.

"Does this have anything do do with the visitors Edward mentioned?" Bella questioned, watching Alice keenly. Oh, she hadn't forgotten that. Such mixed reactions- Edward, so guarded, and Alice,-brightening up almost immediately as to cause suspicion. She caught the tiny flicker in Alice's eyes and she knew she'd hit the mark.

"No...well, maybe," Alice relented as she caught sight of Bella's expression.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Bella offered.

Alice shook her head so fast, it was more like a reflex reaction. "Ah, I'd rather not Bella. It's a bit-well, never mind." She bit her lip in indecision, her eyes glazing over. She remained like that for a while, Bella growing more and more worried every second. Was it, whatever it was, causing Alice this much agitation? If it was so bad, she probably should leave it alone till Alice came to her. Or maybe she should make Alice pour it out. Or what if it was just some family thing that Alice wouldn't want to tell Bella about?

"Alice," Bella prodded tenatively, when Alice showed no signs of breaking out of her day-dream. "Alice, hey, snap out of it!"

Alice jerked, eyes fluttering wide. She focused in on Bella and gave a shaky laugh. "Oh, god, did I zone out again? I must be really coming down with something."

"Maybe," Bella agreed, not totally convinced. She would talk to her friend about it later.

Mr. Will came in then, a grave look on his face.

"The school board has held a meeting to discuss the recent bear incidents. They do not feel it would be safe for you to be allowed to trek in these woods, as of now, till the bear is caught, the trip is being cancelled-" He raised his hands to ward off the collective groans. "-On the other hand, the La Plush residents have agreed to allow us to use the beach on the reservation as a kind of picnic area."

Everybody began cheering. La Plush was know for its huge wide expansive beaches.

Bella sighed and lay her head on her arms. _Yay_, she thought gloomily, _so much fun_. For the moment, Alice's problems were pushed to the back of her mind.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Cafeteria, Forks High School<em>**

Lunch was as usual, spectacular. She got to eat at Alice's table which meant a whole lot of glares drilling into the back of her head, (oh joooy) and also meant Edward and his slutty troop of airheads would be lounging around the table (the damn bastard kept feeding them cucumber peels or what ever else they ate to make people feel as though they would disappear if they turned sideways).

"Ah, Alice," Edward greeted, a smirk on his face, "and one simple single follower, welcome to my table."

The group of bimbos thought this _hilariously_ funny. Bella gritted her teeth and sourly wished someone would chop their shiny silky hair off and stuff it in their wide lipsticked mouths. She'd see them eat that with pleasure.

Edward's lips curved even more as he slowly leant forward and placed a tomato slice, being exaggeratedly careful, in the mouth of the dumb blonde sitting nearest to him. She purred with happiness, even as her posse grumbled discontentedly. Flipping her thousand dollar high-lighted hair over her shoulder, the girl shot Bella a snotty look before turning to sling her thin arms around Edward's neck.

"Edward daaarling," she drawled, "who's that frumpy looking little _thing_?"

Bella began grinding her teeth. Lauren Mallory always got on her nerves, pretending to not know who Bella was everytime they crossed paths. Was it that funny as she seemed to consider? Personally, Bella thought not. She consoled herself by thinking that Lauren at fifty would be a hag and unmarried while she, Bella would be a famous author and living happily married with four kids to boot.

Edward smiled suddenly.

"It's _Bella_," Bella said, smiling sweetly. "Oh and Edward prefers being called Eddie, if you know what I mean. He also likes it when you scratch behind his ears. I've found he's particularly ticklish there. He always moans so delightfully when you do that."

There was perfect silence.

Beside Bella, Alice looked down, her shoulders shaking as she tried to fight off the impending fit of laughter. Lauren looked confused, half disbelieving, half hopeful, and a bit shocked and angry that Bella would know such a thing. Her posse furiously tried to mimic her fluctuating expressions. Edward looked completely shocked and annoyed.

"Didn't see it coming," he muttered to himself. He shot a look at Alice. "I didn't _see_ it. Did you?" he repeated incredulously.

Alice shook her head, wiping her eyes in mirth. "No," she answered. "But Bella's always been unpredictable."

Bella didn't understand what was going on. She had just insulted Edward to his face, and he and his sister were comparing notes on whether she had had it in her?

Edward stood up, ignoring Lauren's squawk as she had to let go of him. He turned restlessly. "I'm going to get some air. Dont. Follow me," he warned the tearful Lauren.

She rounded on Bella as Edward walked away. "You! You just had to go and try get all his attention, didn't you? Well, I'm the only girl for Edward, you remember that Bella!" she spat. She actually got Bella's name right in her anger. Standing up, Lauren flipped her hair over one shoulder and strode off, her friends scrabbling hastily to follow her.

Bella quietly returned to her meal, shrugging. Dumb blondes were the same everywhere, even back in Phoenix, Arizona. After a few moments, Alice did the same, still chuckling to herself.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Parking Lots, Forks High School<em>**

Alice had to go for an extra lab class to cover for when she had been absent a few days ago. Bella didn't mind but that meant she either had to thumb a ride home or walk.

As she headed out of the school. people milling around her, she saw Ben Cheney walking out with Angela from her literature class. Hurrying up to them, she was about to ask if they would mind dropping her off at her house as one, Ben had a car, two, they were obviously on a date, three, the only ice-cream parlour in town had a route that passed by Bella's house from the school and four, she really wanted to get home before the swirling storm clouds that had been there ever since afternoon broke and drenched her. She had just opened her mouth and was reaching for Angela's arm when someone grabbed her roughly by the wrist and yanked her, stumbling and tripping, all the way to the side of the school builing and flung her against the wall.

Bella's eyes swam with the unexpectedly quick movement and it took her a few seconds to realize that her captor was pressed up against her very intimately.

Her heart pounded and she was about to scream when a dark voice ordered her to be quiet, cursing softly. She recognised Edward's voice and went slack, suddenly hugely relieved. She didn't question why though if it had been any other boy, even Ben Cheney, who was a nice enough guy, she'd still be kicking and screaming.

Her relief soon turned to anger. What the hell did Edward think he was doing?

She stepped hard on his foot and was rewarded when he went rigid. Sparkling amber eyes turned down toward her, flashing with murderous intent.

"Bella," Edward said very softly, "remove your foot. _Or_. _Else_."

She stared back at him defiantly. "What the hell do you think you're doing Ed-"

He stopped her with a hand against her mouth. Rendered mute because however hard she tried she couldn't pry off the hand -another thing the siblings had in common, serious strength and cold cold skin- she glared at him ineffectively.

He glared back.

The thought crossed Bella's mind that she would be missing her ride.

"Ben came on his bike today. He would have said no," Edward bit out.

Surprised, Bella relaxed in his grip.

"Ricky Tanning was about to offer you a lift. His friends were going to make _sure_ you accepted. Then, once they had you in the car, they were going to drug you and take you out to Dead man's curve and do what ever they wanted to you, before leaving you there with another shot of a memory loss drug for a harmless bystander to see and call the police. Now tell me, Bella, do you really want that so bad? 'Cause I am this close to letting you go free and let it be _damned to hell_ whatever may happen!"

Bella froze for the second time that day, staring at Edward, who despite his hot speech had not once lost his calm outward appearance save for his glittering eyes. He seemed to be holding some strong emotion at bay and Bella wondered sinkingly if she was the cause. He removed his hand, though still pressing her body tightly into the wall behind her, his eyes never once leaving hers.

She gulped in fresh air and tried to look anywhere but at him. "I'm sorry," she whispered, "but..but how did you know?" _Is he lying? Trying to trick me?_

Eward's eyes darkened. "Believe me, Bella. I'm telling the truth."

She shook her head. _Edward wouldn't lie, not about something like this. Would he?_

Edward grunted, releasing her and stepping back to shove his hand in his pockets. "They were talking about it in class after Alice told you she wouldn't make it. Stupid clouts didn't care who heard them. But as I was right behind them I got the whole sordid details of their plan. Believe me, if it was legal to rip a human being apart with my bare hands, I'd have-"

"Stop it Edward!" Bella raised anguished eyes toward him. "I get it!"

Edward looked contrite. "I-" he cut off, looking away from her, his jaw working visibly.

She sagged against the wall. "Why did you save me?"

Edward looked incredulous. "Why did I-" He cut himself off, snapping his jaws together tightly in exasperation. When he spoke, it was in a controlled even tone. "I may not like you, Bella. In fact, I certainly do not like you. But I'm not about to let anyone suffer at Tanning's hands. How many poor girls do you think he's done this to before? You would have been just another in his long string of offenses. But I'm going to put a stop to it now. I'm not going to let him get away with anymore."

Bella's mind reeled with all the implications of what he had told her.

Shesuddenly began gasping, the enormity of the situation finally reaching her brain. If he hadn't caught her when he did, she would be on her way to certain humiliation and pain and abuse by now. She had so much to be grateful to him for. But Edward wasn't saving her for her. Somehow, that hurt a lot. And those boys would have- would have-! She didn't comprehend that she was beginning to hyperventilate but suddenly Edward was forcing her onto the ground, pushing her head between her knees. His continued instructions to breathe, uttered in calm tones, left her gasping hysterically with tears in her eyes. Oh, it was alright for him, was it! She was the one who would have been-

"Bella! Bella! Snap out of it!" The irony of it being the same words she had uttered to Alice didn't escape her.

"Bella!"

Only the cause was different. The cause was so horribly different.

"You little idiot!" He was shaking her now. How would she ever face her classmates again? Ricky and all his _evil gloating friends_-

The slap left her still with shock, eyes wide round hurt pools in the gathering dusk. It got dark early in Forks this time of the year, and the storm clouds weren't helping one bit. Bella tasted her stinging cheek. She smelt the carefully controlled violence in Edward. She felt his muttered exclamation of annoyance.

Tears ran down her cheeks as she held one palm to her face and stared at Edward, bewilderment in her eyes. Why had he slapped her? Did he think so less of her too? She began to cry and didn't resist as he hoisted her up and half-dragged, half carried her toward a sleek waiting yellow Porche in the school parking lot.

Alice was waiting by the side, eyes wide with worry and pain. She took Bella from Edward with gentle hands and Bella began shuddering again as she was gently pushed in the car. _Cold, cold_, her mind chattered. _So cold, get away. Leave me alone._ She could hear Alice whispering to Edward and caught the words 'tell Charlie' and 'arrested for possesion' and 'be arranged'- before a damp dark blankness enveloped her. The last thing she remembered was Edward staring away at something in the distance, an utterly grim and furious look on his face.

* * *

><p>She didn't wake up on the ride home. Instead, Bella dreamt.<p>

**_Dark and full of mouldering peeling basements and evil cowled figures mock her with ropes made of slitering snakes that twine round her body, flicking their horrible forked tongues out over her skin and vials full of gleaming liquid that they grasp triumphantly in powdery thin hands, swishing noiselessly toward her in their black robes with long sharp needles clutched between paper fingers. Only, the liquid light becomes radiant and brighter, sending them skittering away, howling in anger and distrust and the ensuing explosion of colour is bright amber, brilliant glittering amber that envelopes her in a warm, warm glow and gives her peace and serenity and the knowledge that she is safe._**

**_Edward..._**

Bella woke up in her room, the lights turned off and a low comforting glow coming from a night-light. Her hazy mind took a few moments to orient itself. The events of the evening came back to her and she stifled a tiny cry. Her shoulders began to heave. She wanted to stay in her room forever. The fear that Ricky would still somehow find a way to get her wouldn't leave her mind. How could she go to school the next day and pretend nothing had happened when she knew for certain he had been looking at her with those _**disgusting**_ eyes and would be still? She could hear murmuring voices from below, and crept out of her bed, feeling boneless and tired, till she was crouched at the ending of the stairs. What was going on?

Her father was below, talking to an officer in blue. The officer was Sam, a longtime friend of her father's and sometimes fishing partner and kept shaking his head with a grave look on his face. He was writing something down in his little notepad but stopped to look up at her father.

"What's the youth coming too?" he asked Charlie. "Well, alright Sir. I have enough here to send those boys away for at least a year. I should be able to get them that on a charge of possesion alone. You should have seen what all they had. It was like a mini-drug business going on. We can still get them without bringing your daughter into this. It's a real shame," the man said soberly, " the kids these days."

"I want them_ **far**_ from my daughter," Charlie said, and Bella could hear the rage in his voice. "Tell them if they ever think of laying a hand on her, I will show them hell worse than anything they've faced till now."

The other man chuckled and clapped a hand on Charlie's back. "Still got the old fire going in you, eh, old pal?"

Charlie said nothing for a moment. "She's my daughter," he said finally. "And I'm going to do right by her." He said nothing further. The conversation seemed over as the man respectfully made a little formal salute and left. Charlie sighed and sat down on the couch. He seemd years older as he picked up a photo of Bella and Renee in a beautiful frame standing on the coffee-table and gazed at it sadly. His cheeks shone wet.

"I nearly failed her, Renee," he said softly to the silence of the room.

Bella sat back, the wall behind her providing comforting support. _So Edward had stopped them_, she thought bitterly.

"He stopped them," she whispered dully. "But he didn't stop them for me." Her mind was stuck on that one point. Bella couldn't deny it any longer. If it hurt this bad, what he'd said to her earlier today, she must have, somehow, somehow, ended up feeling something for him. She'd hated him from the first day she'd met him. She'd vowed to. And what had happened to that? The pain in her chest said that she'd broken it. She'd started liking him, even more than that, it seemed. But now...

"Not for _me_."

* * *

><p>AN: First dose of drama, accomplished! Hehe! Review! And please tell me if you want some Bella-Edward interaction of the usual, he pisses her off and stuff, she snarks on him and stuff, before she finds out that he's really...well, you all know so, drop me a line!

Edward is gonna apologise for not wanting Bella just because her mind is open to him and he doesn't feel curious and intrigued about that since an open mind is open and not close. Hint hint, Mrs. Mayer. Sorry, that bit is for the reviewers and not for the story. Oh and, Edward is now getting too much involved with the little human his sister has taken on for his comfort. He wants, a bit sadistically, to get her into trouble, as he resents the fact that he felt obliged to save her cuz she was a girl and his gentlemanly instincts(lol) how much ever they are buried deep inside him from his youth, rose up and demanded him to. So now, he's concoted a plot to get the smartassed little girl in deep doodoo(lol lol). And that, is for the story!

See how that goes in the chapters to come. In the near future hopefully as my plot bunnies are vacationing in Florida right now.

But only if you R&R!


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